asked the Minister for Justice when summer shirts will be provided for the gardaí.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Shirts for Gardaí.
87.
A limited number of the new shirts were supplied last year and these were issued to men on point duty. A further supply of about 800 are expected in a month's time. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to say when the bulk supply of shirts will become available.
The order for material for the shirts was placed more than two years ago. First there was difficulty in getting suitable yarn for the material. Then when the yarn was obtained difficulties arose in the weaving of the cloth. I cannot say precisely what the technical problems are but, in a general way, they are related to the problem of producing a large quantity of cloth that must be uniform in colour, texture and finish. The matter is in fact dealt with by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, who handle such supplies on behalf of all Government Departments. I am satisfied that the Department of Posts and Telegraphs are doing everything possible to expedite the supply of the shirts and it is only fair to add that the problems that arose were also outside the control of the cloth manufacturers, who of course are an Irish concern.
Will the Minister not agree, in view of the fact we have lights on here now, that it is getting a bit late in the day for providing these shirts? Would he not further agree that there is a highly qualified person employed as inspector of textiles in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs—I believe he is the manager of a former textile mill? Would he further agree—I know this because I served my time to the textile trade— that colouration and weaving is a very simple matter to work out if you have an expert in the Department?
As I said, this matter is dealt with by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, as the Deputy knows, on behalf of all Government Departments. The delay, which I regret very much, has been due to difficulties in obtaining the cloth. These arose, I understand, out of difficulties with the yarn which was imported from Switzerland. Technical difficulties arose in the weaving process. Experts from the country producing the yarn had to visit this country to inspect it and as a result the yarn had to be replaced. Difficulty after difficulty of a technical nature arose. I understand that production, which was intended to be at the rate of 6,000 yards a week, actually dropped down to 800 yards a week. Some weaving is being done by the producers of the yarn to see if the difficulties can be overcome. I might also inform the Deputy that the Garda representative bodies are members of the particular working parties, which studied designs for the cloth in question and designs for the shirt in question and they are fully au fait with all the difficulties which have arisen which are completely out of the control of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and of the contractors. They are to be regretted but they are outside our control.
Will the Minister not agree with me that when this branch of the textile industry and the spinning industry are in a very depressed state it seems very ridiculous to place this order in Switzerland?
The order for the cloth has been placed with an Irish weaver—I want to make that quite clear—but the yarn which had to be used in the cloth is not manufactured or spun in this country and had to be imported.
Could it not have been spun in this country?
If the yarn was of a type that could be spun, and was available, in this country it would, of course, have been obtained in this country.
What type of yarn is it?
I have not got information about the type of yarn but I presume it has a synthetic mixture which is not done here.